smolt

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. A young salmon at the stage intermediate between the parr and the grilse, when it becomes covered with silvery scales and first migrates from fresh water to the sea.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

adj. Bright; serene.

adj. Calm; fine; fair.

adj. Smooth and shining.

n. A young salmon two or three years old, when it has acquired its silvery color.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

n. A young salmon two or three years old, when it has acquired its silvery color.

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

Smooth and shining.

n. A salmon in its second year, when it has lost its parr-marks and assumed its silvery scales; the stage of salmon-growth between the parr and the grilse. The smolt proceeds at once to the sea, and reappears in fresh water as the grilse.

Etymologies

Middle English, from Medieval Latin smoltus, probably of Old English origin.

(American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Probably an alteration of smelt, due to smolt ("smooth"). See above. (Wiktionary)

Examples

The infant salmon remains in fresh water at least one year, generally two years, without growing more than a few inches, and then about May assumes what is called the smolt-dress, that is to say, it loses the dark parr-bands and red spots of infancy and becomes silvery all over.

In Arctic regions, it typically takes from four to eight years before a smolt size of about 7 to 10 inches 18-25 cm is attained, and the char then make annual migrations to the sea for about 30 to 60 days for intensive feeding.